Your exam technique
Read the instruction → predict a paraphrase → locate the passage → check the full sentence.
Know what you are looking for
Identify the task type and underline the important meaning in the question. A name, date, or unusual object can be a useful anchor. Predict how the passage might express the idea differently: the price was reduced may become it became cheaper.
Scan, then slow down
Move quickly through the text to locate an anchor or its paraphrase. Once you find it, read the complete sentence and nearby sentences carefully. The first matching word is a location clue, not proof of an answer. A nearby contrast may reverse the apparent meaning.
Keep outside knowledge out
Base the answer on the supplied passage. Before choosing, point to the words that support it. If you cannot explain the connection, revisit the text. After checking, record the paraphrase you missed so you can recognise it in a new passage.
See it in practice
Starting point
Question: Why did the café extend its opening hours? Passage mentions prices. → Because meals became cheaper.
Using this skill
Passage: Longer opening hours let evening workers eat after their shifts. → To serve people finishing work late.
The answer matches the reason in the passage. A nearby mention of prices would not explain the hours.